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The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has warned Nigerians about malicious electronic messages falsely claiming recipients have violated traffic rules or committed related offences.
The Commission raised the alarm in a general data protection advisory dated September 18, 2026, saying the messages were designed to deceive unsuspecting members of the public.
According to the NDPC, such malicious communications were previously sent largely through phishing emails but are now being transmitted through various electronic channels.
It said the messages were often crafted to create fear or a sense of urgency, prompting recipients to click malicious links, disclose personal information or follow harmful instructions.
The Commission urged members of the public not to click on links or follow instructions contained in messages that cannot be independently verified.
It advised Nigerians to check the sender’s address, domain name and links before taking any action.
The NDPC also urged recipients to contact the organisation or authority named in a suspicious message independently, using a known and trusted telephone number, website, or email address.
“Do not use the contact details provided in the suspicious message,” the Commission advised.
It further urged members of the public to report suspicious messages and impersonation attempts to the NDPC and the organisation or authority being impersonated.
The Commission advised Nigerians to use strong, unique passwords, avoid reusing passwords across different services, and change passwords promptly if they suspect their accounts have been compromised.
It also recommended enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever available as an additional layer of protection beyond passwords.
The NDPC urged the public not to let fear, urgency, or the appearance of official authority pressure them into clicking links or disclosing personal information.
“If you cannot independently verify a message, do not act on it,” the Commission said.
It stressed that protecting personal data was a shared responsibility.
General Data Protection Advisory
Beware of Malicious Electronic Messages!
STOP. VERIFY. PROTECT. REPORT. pic.twitter.com/ZQ5SvTsg1g— NDPC Nigeria (@ndpcngr) September 18, 2026
